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The Old Woolpack
For younger Emmerdale viewers not a lot of them know that the show has featured two Woolpacks in the shows long history. The old Woolpack (pictured right) was seen from the shows inception on the 16th October 1972 to February 1976 when Amos Brearly and Henry Wilks vacated it for a new premises at the other end of Beckindale. The reason for that was the old pub was found to be suffering from subsidence. Scenes from the old Woolpack and the current Woolpack were seen in 3 or 4 of the same episodes in February, there was no join (no storyline where one episode finished in the old pub then the first scenes of the new pub were seen in the following episode). The buliding used for exterior scenes was the Falcon Inn, Arncliffe in Littondale in the Yorkshire Dales. Pub Backhistory The old Woolpack was built in about 1700 along with most of the other cottages in Beckindale. Ephriam Monks was the brewery who owned the pub. In the 1940s Joe Hepple and his wife Molly were the landlord and landlady of the pub. At one time a Mr L Partridge was the landlord. 1972-1976 On a murky day in October 1972 Amos was surprised to see Jack Sugden who came into his pub after 8 years away. It was the day of the funeral of Jacob Sugden, Jack's father. Jack drank his pint then left the pub. In November 1972 Amos broke up a near fight Jack's brother Joe had with Tom Merrick when he saw Joe drinking with his wife. Amos was an eye for gossip and often landed himself in hot water over it. In January 1973 Amos entered for a brewery competition and the pub licensees had to be married so Amos proposed to Jacob Sugden's widow Annie Sugden. She refused. Later on Amos was persuaded by Reverend Ruskin to employ Alison Gibbons at the Woolpack. She had a conviction for stealing but she was in dire straits and had learned her lesson. Amos took Alison on but kept at watchful eye on her. Alison later left Beckindale and then returned to run the village shop when Amy Postlethwaite retired. The Woolpack was refurbished in early 1973 and had a new red interior with red wallpaper. Amos was becoming good pals with retired factory owner Henry Wilks who had shares in Emmerdale Farm and the village shop. In mid 1973 when Amos was doing interviews for a new barmaid he was accompanied by Mr Wilks when conducting the interviews. After the interviews Amos was reported to the brewery by Miss Drinkwater who Amos had interviewed and walked out when she found out that Amos was a bachelor Shortly afterwards in October 1973, Henry Wilks half bought the pub with Amos. They started a business partnership and Mr Wilks moved in to the pub with Amos. In the spring of 1974 Amos almost had a marriage proposal when Ethel Ainsworth was interested in him. This never came about though. In August 1974, Wilf Padgett was arranged to install a new fireplace in the pub. Throughout the autumn of 1974 the pub had an overhaul and a lot of the walls were cladded with stone and Amos had a mural fitted even though the pub was refurbished the previous year. This was because Amos and Mr Wilks also made the pub a hotel. They refurbished it to make it a new hotel. In 1975 saw the Woolpack become a success with its hotel facility as well. In November 1975 Amos and Henry employed Winnie Purvis as a cleaner but she soon left. December 1975 saw Amos celebrate his last Christmas at that pub. In early January 1976 scaffolding had to be erected at the front of the pub and a crack was found in the fireplace. Amos and Henry were quite worried especially Amos. The pub was found to be suffering from subsidence. Amos and Henry came to the decision that they had to move premises. A derelict corn chandlers building round the corner was looked at and Mr Wilks and Amos paid their deposits on the new pub. In February 1976 Amos and Henry left the original pub. The last night in the old pub was marked with a party and free drinks. 1976-present. In March 1976 Amos and Henry talked about if the old Woolpack could be saved. If it was it would be too late for them to move back after all the trouble they went to moving premises. The old pub was later sold as a private house. As of 2012 the current situation of the building which houses the old Woolpack is unknown. It may have been destroyed in the plane crash of 1993 or it is still standing and is a private house. Memorable info 'First appearance 'Episode 1 (16th October 1972) 'Last appearance 'Episode 296 (10th February 1976) The old Woolpack was mentioned a few times after the dust settled when they moved premises. However all these mentions were in past tense about the collapse of the pub or mentions of their childhood in the village and remembering the old Woolpack. In 1977 the old Woolpack was sold as a private house fater the subsidence was fixed. In 1978 Amos referred to the old pub when the boilerman suggested subsidence in the current pub. Amos did not want to go through the trouble of relocating yet again. Luckily this was not the case. In 1979 Phil Fletcher said how he used to hang out round the back of the old Woolpack as a kid. In 1987 Amos Brearly said how the nucler dump protest "is the biggest story in Beckindale since the old Woolpack collpased 10 years ago". In 1993 Sarah Connolly mentioned the old Woolpack and how it had to be vacated years ago due to subsidence. Its last known mention was in 1997 by Ned Glover and Becky Cairns when Ned mentioned the old pub and Amos. Residents Category:Buildings in Emmerdale no longer seen. Category:The Woolpack. Category:Buildings in Emmerdale.